The trend estimate for total dwelling approvals rose 0.7% in August 2006.

The seasonally adjusted estimate for total dwelling units approved fell 12.6%, to 12,432, in August 2006.

PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSES

The trend estimate for private sector house approvals rose 0.4% in August 2006.

The seasonally adjusted estimate for private sector houses approved rose 1.1%, to 8,952, in August 2006. This is the highest level since June 2005.

PRIVATE SECTOR OTHER DWELLING UNITS

The trend estimate for private sector other dwellings approved rose 1.0% in August 2006.

The seasonally adjusted estimate for private sector other dwellings approved fell 36.9%, to 3,213, in August 2006. This follows rises of 16.1%, 14.9% and 14.1% in the previous three months.

VALUE OF BUILDING APPROVED

The trend estimate for the value of total building approved fell 0.2% in August 2006. The value of new residential building rose 0.6% and the value of alterations and additions rose 0.3%. The trend for the value of non-residential building approved fell 1.3% in August 2006.

The seasonally adjusted estimate for the value of total building approved fell 9.8%, to $4,944.6m, in August 2006. The value of new residential building approved fell 3.4%, to $2,625.7m. The value of alterations and additions fell 3.5%, to $449.6m. The value of non-residential building fell 18.6%, to $1,869.3m.

NOTES

REVISIONS THIS MONTH

Revisions to Total Dwellings in this issue are:

2005-06

2006-07

Total

NSW

54

1

55

Vic.

67

-

67

Qld

-1

-

-1

SA

58

-8

50

WA

5

-51

-46

Tas.

-

-

-

NT

8

-

8

ACT

-

-

-

Total

191

-58

133

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Paul Pamment on Adelaide (08) 8237 7499.

VALUE OF BUILDING APPROVED

NEW RESIDENTIAL BUILDING

The trend for the value of new residential building has shown small rises over the last nine months.

ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO RESIDENTIAL BUILDING

The trend for the value of alterations and additions is now showing small rises for the last four months.

NON-RESIDENTIAL BUILDING

The trend estimate for the value of non-residential building fell 1.3% in August 2006, after rising steadily since late 2004.

DWELLINGS APPROVED BY TYPE OF DWELLING 2005–06

STATES AND TERRITORIES

The number of dwelling units approved in the States and Territories during 2005-06 is shown in the table below, for each type of dwelling category.

NSW

Vic.

Qld

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

Aust.

no.

no.

no.

no.

no.

no.

no.

no.

no.

New houses

16 337

28 773

25 145

8 281

21 753

2 276

677

1 044

104 286

New semidetached, row or terrace houses, townhouses etc of:

One storey

2 685

1 934

2 191

1 108

1 596

242

111

179

10 046

Two or more storeys

3 712

2 266

2 844

623

761

40

65

99

10 410

Total

6 397

4 200

5 035

1 731

2 357

282

176

278

20 456

New flats, units, apartments in a building of:

One or two storeys

1 042

262

992

208

275

4

74

91

2 948

Three storeys

2 043

756

1 337

309

388

-

8

216

5 057

Four or more storeys

6 500

1 921

5 022

615

873

38

310

236

15 515

Total

9 585

2 939

7 351

1 132

1 536

42

392

543

23 520

Total new other residential building

15 982

7 139

12 386

2 863

3 893

324

568

821

43 976

Other

Alterations and additions to residential building

229

105

63

3

44

13

59

1

517

Conversion

344

367

19

206

135

20

-

-

1 091

Non-residential building

103

144

28

18

18

1

4

1

317

Total building

32 995

36 528

37 641

11 371

25 843

2 634

1 308

1 867

150 187

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)

SUMMARY COMMENT

Of the 150,187 dwelling units approved in Australia in 2005-06, 104,286 (69.4%) were new houses. The mix of dwelling types varied significantly across the States and Territories. Less than half of the dwelling units approved were new houses in New South Wales (49.5%). In comparison, new houses accounted for over 75% of all dwelling units in Victoria (78.8%), Western Australia (84.2%) and Tasmania (86.4%).

DWELLINGS APPROVED, States and territories - By type of dwelling - 2005-06

DWELLING UNITS APPROVED STATES AND TERRITORIES

SUMMARY COMMENTS

The trend estimate for total dwelling units approved rose 0.7% in August 2006. The trend rose in all states and territories except Queensland (-1.8%), South Australia (-1.1%) and the Northern Territory (-3.4%). The largest increases were in Victoria (+3.1%) and the Australian Capital Territory (+2.8%).

The trend estimate for private sector houses approved rose 0.4% in August 2006. The trend rose in New South Wales (+2.0%), Victoria (+2.7%) and South Australia (+0.9%), but fell in Queensland (-1.4%) and Western Australia (-2.5%).

NSW

Vic.

Qld

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

Aust.

Original

Dwelling units approved

Private sector houses (no.)

1 518

3 120

2 446

735

1 845

201

76

124

10 065

Total dwelling units (no.)

2 861

3 725

3 321

952

2 340

232

84

230

13 745

Percentage change from previous month

Private sector houses (%)

2.8

23.2

4.9

3.5

7.9

-4.3

7.0

40.9

10.3

Total dwelling units (%)

15.2

3.3

-6.1

-9.1

-11.9

-5.7

-55.1

2.7

-1.7

Seasonally Adjusted

Dwelling units approved

Private sector houses (no.)

1 358

2 881

2 054

654

1 640

na

na

na

8 952

Total dwelling units (no.)

2 543

3 512

2 856

850

2 157

221

na

na

12 432

Percentage change from previous month

Private sector houses (%)

-8.8

18.9

-5.2

-6.6

-3.5

na

na

na

1.1

Total dwelling units (%)

-1.2

-14.5

-14.3

-11.1

-16.6

-10.9

na

na

-12.6

Trend

Dwelling units approved

Private sector houses (no.)

1 396

2 596

2 110

664

1 685

na

na

na

8 820

Total dwelling units (no.)

2 735

3 627

3 117

919

2 232

243

86

221

13 182

Percentage change from previous month

Private sector houses (%)

2.0

2.7

-1.4

0.9

-2.5

na

na

na

0.4

Total dwelling units (%)

0.8

3.1

-1.8

-1.1

0.6

0.8

-3.4

2.8

0.7

na not available

DWELLING UNITS APPROVED

STATE TRENDS

NEW SOUTH WALES

The trend for total dwelling units approved in New South Wales has risen for the last five months after being in decline for the previous thirteen months. The trend estimate for private sector houses has risen for the last seven months.

VICTORIA

The trend for total dwelling units approved in Victoria has risen for the last six months. The trend for private sector houses is now showing rises for the last four months.

QUEENSLAND

The trend for total dwelling units approved in Queensland is now showing falls for the last two months. The trend for private sector houses is now showing small falls for the last three months.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The trend for total dwelling units approved in South Australia is now showing falls for the last three months. The trend for private sector houses is showing small rises for the last four months.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The trend estimate for total dwelling units approved in Western Australia has been flat for the last seven months. The trend for private sector houses is showing falls for the last five months.